Comic review: Buzzard No. 2

Dark Horse Comics. Written by Eric Powell. Art by Powell and Kyle Hotz.

The Deal: Writer/artist Eric Powell takes Buzzard, one of the characters from his popular horror/humor comic book series (and soon-to-be animated TV show) The Goon, and sets him off on a three-issue solo mission, fighting to save a town from some monstrous influences.

The Good: I'm ashamed to say that I slept on Powell's work for years, skipping a good chunk of what he did in the pages of The Goon. It wasn't until he co-created the Dethklok/Goon crossover one-shot (which hilariously teamed his creation with the stars of the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim show Metalocalypse) that I truly discovered the depraved depths of his talent. Powell keeps rolling out the good stuff in Buzzard, and the book works because of one key reason: Buzzard is a compelling character. He's part "lonely outsider" (like, say, Clint Eastwood in a spaghetti Western), part sage and part ravenous zombie. That said, the comic is funny, thoughtful and pretty damn gross. (Speaking of gross, this issue's backup story, "Billy The Kid's Old Timey Oddities," is even more disgusting than the main feature. You've been warned.) Powell's art is creepy, and his pages are paced so that there's a freaky/scary item waiting around every corner.

The Bad: For $3.50, Buzzard is a fairly quick read. Thank goodness for the backup story. Still, it's a nice diversion from superhero comics that sometimes clutter the newsstand. Oh, and did I mention that this comic is gross?!

The Verdict: Take a bite out of Buzzard. It's a fun read and well-worth the cash.

Quick Hits

• Green Lantern No. 56: Now that Blackest Night is over, I'm a little tired of all the other colored ring-wielders. I say give them a rest. The Verdict: Skip it.

• Secret Avengers No. 3: It's no secret that I'm a fan of the new Avengers family of comics, but the story in Secret Avengers is feeling a little padded. This issue is more action-packed than last, but I'd like to see some semblance of movement for the characters. The Verdict: What the hell ... buy it.

• Stellar No. 1: The art in this Image Comic one-shot — by Bernard Chang — is reason enough to pick up the debut issue of Stellar. The story? Not bad, but not great. The Verdict: Get it for the art.